Timer for gas engines.



EfE. SAVARD & W. E. JONES. TIMER FOR GAS ENGINES.

APPLIOATION rum) SEPT. 2z, 1909.

977,752. Patented Dec. 6, 1910.

.UNiTiiD savannas PATENT onirica.-

EDWIN E. SAVAB) AND WINFBED E. JONES, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

TIMER FOR GAS ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented Dec. 6,1910.

To all 'it may concern.'

Be it known that we, EDWIN E. SAvARn and WINFRED E. JONES, both of Rochester, in the count of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Timers for Gas-Engines, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, and. shown in the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in timers for automobiles and more particularly to a timer which is adapted for use in connection with as or Uasolene engines or similar machines or explodin the gas mixture in the cylinder or cylin ers 0f said machine by an electric s ark, at the proper time.

It as for its objects among others to provide a simple and eiieient timer readily applied to the timer shaft of an engine to revolve therewith and adapted for use in connection with a gas or gasolene engine or the like having any number of cylinders.

Another object of the invention is to rovide a non-revoluble annular contact p ate or ring mounted for coperation with and adapted to touch successively a plurality of spring-pressed balls and move directly away from the saine after the contact is made so that there is practically no wear upon the parts, thus constituting an essential improvement over the wiper contacts now employed. The annular contact plate or ring 1s mounted so as to be free to move in any direction in a plane, being enga ed onl by an eccentric which does not revove sai annular contact plate vor ring but merely pushes it, at it were, laterally against and then draws it away from the balls in succession without any draw or wipe motion against the balls. Means are rovded for proper adjustment, and the evice, as a Whole is of such a simple nature as to ermit of ready assemblage of its parts an its application to the machine and, at the same time, it is durable, efficient and reliable in its action.

Other ob'ects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the numerals of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in whichproved device applied to the shaft of an engine. Fig. 2 is a substantially central longitudinal section through the same. Fig. 3 is a detail in (perspective with portions broken away an parts 'in section. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the eccentric and the annular rin removed.

Like numera s of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the timer shaft of a gas or gasolene engine or other machine to which the timer is to be applied. The timer, in its preferred form, comprises a hub 2 havin a socket 3 for the reception of the end of t e shaft 1 to which it is designed to be adjustably and detachably secured in any suitable manner, as by set screws or the like 4. This hub has a concentric extension 5 which, at its upper end, has an eccentric extension 6 with an annular groove or channel 7 for a purpose which will soon be made apparent.

8 in an annular cup-shaped member having the Harige portion 9, said cup being of metal or any other suitable material and in said flange or rim portion 9 area plurality of openings, extending radially with relation to its hub portion, in this instance, being shown as four in number', and within each hole or opening 10 is placed an insulating rin 11 which is retained therein, preferably by rictional engagement with the walls of the opening, and within this insulating ring is threaded, or otherwise retained, a sleeve 12, the inner end of which is slightly turned inwardly, as shown at 13, so as to retain therein a ball 1&1, the construction being such as to prevent the ball from passing entirely through, but permitting a portion thereof to project beyond the inner endI of the sleeve, as seen clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, so asto be in position to be contacted by the annular ring or contact plate, soon to be described. A spring 15, arranged within the sleeve, eX-

ei'ts its influence against the ball and serves to normally keep the latter forced to the inner end of the sleeve so that it projects a sufficient distance therebeyond, as seen clearly in Figs. 1 and 2.

16 is a cap having threaded engagement with the threads of the sleeve by reason of the anged portion 17 of the said cap and rejecting centrally `from this cap is a screwthreaded stud or shank 18 which receives the two nuts 19 and 2O which serve to hold the cap in place and serve also as means for attachment of the wires for the usua1`puroses.

p The hub 21 of the nut-like member 8 has an axial bore 22 in which is received the metallic bushing 23 in which is received the cylindrical concentric portion 5 of the hub 2, as seen clearly in Fig. 2.

Sleeved on the eccentric portion 6 is the disk 24 having a side portion fiattened, as at 25, and bored radially to receive a set screw oi' the like 26, the inner end of which is adapted to engage in the annular groove 7 of the eccentric portion 6 of the hub 2. This disk 24 has a concentric bore 27 and an eccentric extension 28 through which said bore` extends. 29 is a disk or ring having a concentric bore Q30 in which fits the eccentric portion 28, as seen clearly in Fig. 2.

Projecting from the c'up portion 8 parallel with the bore thereof is a pin 3l having an opening for the reception of a spring cotter pin or the like 32. To this pin is designed to be attached a lever (not shown) disposed for manipulation by the operator for controlling the osition of the cup for changing the time of) contact.

With the parts constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and as clearly illustrated in ,the drawings, the operation will be apparent. In the revolution of the parts, the annular contact plate or ring 29 is thrown out by the action of the eccentric 28, which latter coming in contact with the ball in the retainer, contact is made through the usual electric connections and, by reason of the construction of the parts and the fact that the said ring does not revolve but is merely pushed out by the eccentric coming in contactwith the ball of the retainer and remaining still until it is drawn away by the motion of the eccentric and then carried to the next point of contact, all friction is thrown on the eccentric and consequent wear of the contact points is avoided.

We can easily and quickly llengthen or shorten the time of contact so as to produce a long or short spark, by reason of the tip of the shaft carrying the eccentric being thrown out of center and by placing the eccentric at different positions on the shaft so that the length of stroke is changed from any point between minimum and maximum, it being understood that a long stroke will put the ball farther back in the retainers-'and being longer in contact, a longer spark is consequently produced.l The length of contact is changed by changing the position of the eccentric carrying the contact rin on the eccentric extension of the shaft, w ich lengthens or shortens the stroke. Furthermore, by reason of the contact being made by a stroke nearly direct from the center, there is no tendency to change the osition of the cup member as there would bya.

wiping stroke and, consequently, there is no strain on the controlling lever attached to the piu 3l that controls the position of the brought into contact with'the next ball, the

o eration is repeated and explosion takes plhlce in the cylinder corresponding to said The parts are readily adjusted, the o eration is reliable and the device, as a who e, is most efficient for the purposes for which it is designed.

Modifications in detail may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

What is claimed as new is l. In a timer for gas engines, a shaft, an eccentric presenting a large wearing surface, an eccentric extension on said sha t, a contact disk carried by said eccentric, a rim and contacts adjustable therein, the said eccentric being adjustable on the eccentric extension to vary the length of contact.

2. In a timer for gas engines, the combination with a shaft, of an eccentric presenting a large wearing surface, the shaft having an extension eccentrically disposed with relation to said eccentric and a contact disk carried by said eccentric, the said eccentric being shiftable on said eccentric extension to lengthen or shorten the stroke.

3. In a timer for gas engines, the combination with a shaft having a concentric portion and an extension eccentric with relation thereto, of an eccentric on said extension presenting a large wearing surface, means for adjusting the length of stroke or time of contact, a rim, and fixed rim contacts carried thereby and with relation to which said eccentric is adjusted on the eccentric extension, said iim contacts being fixed in position after once set.

4. In a timer for gas engines, the combination with a shaft, of an eccentric presenting a large wearing surface, the shaft having an eccentric extension carr ing said eccentric, means foi changing tie length of stroke or time of contact, fixed rim contacts with relation to which said eccentric is adj ustedon said eccentric extension, and means for simultaneously moving all of said contacts. l

5. In a timer for as engines, the combination with a shaft aving a concentric extension and an extension eccentric thereto, of I In Witness whereof, We have hereunto set 1U a cup-shaped member on said concentric exour hands this 20th day of September, 1909, tensiol, bai contats cariiedby the im porin the presence of two subscribing Witnesses. tion o sai mem er, a is s eeve on the T eccentric extension, said disk having a con--y centric bore and an eccentric extension through which said bore extends, anda disk Witnesses: having a concentric bore in Whlch said ec- E. B. WHITMORE, centric portion fits. A. M. WHITMORE. 

